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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · trunk · dip · ruler · rash · ground · current · track

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. ground — a position
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. track — a song
  9. dip — to sink
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. current — happening now
  15. track — a path
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. current — of water
  18. rash — a series
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. current — electric
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ground — crushed
  23. rash — hasty
  24. track — to keep track

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com